EASY WONTON SOUP ~ Comfort & Peasant Recipe

I’m sharing my Easy 15 Minute Wonton Soup with a clever folding shortcut and pantry-friendly broth tips that make homemade wontons surprisingly quick.

I never thought a bowl could feel like a little delicious secret until I made this Easy 15 Minute Wonton Soup. I stuff store-bought wonton wrappers with a simple ground pork mix, boil them up, and suddenly lunchtime feels a lot more exciting than it should.

It’s honest, a bit rustic, and oddly elegant for something so quick, you’ll wonder how such humble things can be so comforting. There are tiny tricks that keep the dumplings silky and the broth bright, but I’ll tease those out later, come try it and tell me if you agree.

Ingredients

• Thin wheat skins, mostly carbs, give pillowy texture and soak up the savory broth.
• Rich in protein and fat, adds meaty umami, keeps filling juicy and comforting.
• Lean protein, adds sweet briny flavor and a springy texture, cooks super fast.
• Binds filling, adds silkyness and extra protein, makes dumplings richer.
• Salty umami backbone, gives savory depth and a little brown color, not sweet.
• Toasted aroma, a little goes a long way, lifts broth with nutty flavor.
• Comforting liquid base, provides most flavor and warmth, low sodium lets you control salt.
• Adds greens, fiber, vitamins and fresh crunch, wilts quickly in hot soup.

Ingredient Quantities

• 30 small wonton wrappers (store bought)
• 8 oz (225 g) ground pork
• 6 oz (170 g) raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and roughly chopped (optional)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tbsp soy sauce (for filling)
• 1 tsp sesame oil (for filling)
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced plus extra for garnish
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp white pepper or ground black pepper
• 6 cups (1.4 L) low sodium chicken broth
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce (for broth)
• 1 tsp sesame oil (for finishing)
• 2 cups baby spinach or 3 baby bok choy, trimmed and halved
• 4 oz (115 g) thin egg noodles or rice noodles, optional
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil or chili oil, optional for serving
• Fresh cilantro or extra sliced scallions for garnish, optional

How to Make this

1. Make the filling: in a bowl mix 8 oz ground pork, 6 oz chopped shrimp if using, 1 lightly beaten egg, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil (for filling), 1 tsp cornstarch, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tsp grated ginger, 2 thinly sliced green onions, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp white or black pepper until sticky and combined. Tip: pulse the pork and shrimp quickly in a food processor for a smoother texture, or just mix by hand if you like a bit more chew.

2. Prep wrappers and fill: lay a wonton wrapper in your palm, put about 1 tsp of filling in the center (dont overfill), wet the edges with a little water, fold into a triangle or bring corners together to make a little purse, press out air and seal. Repeat for the ~30 small wonton wrappers. Hack: wetting one corner and folding like an envelope is faster once you get the rhythm.

3. Bring the broth to a simmer: pour 6 cups low sodium chicken broth into a pot, add 1 tbsp light soy sauce, bring to a gentle boil and taste, adjust salt if needed.

4. If using noodles: drop 4 oz thin egg or rice noodles into the boiling broth and cook until just tender (about 2 to 3 minutes), then push them to one side or remove briefly to bowls so they dont overcook.

5. Cook wontons: carefully add wontons to the simmering broth in batches so they dont stick, stir gently once, simmer until they float and the pork is cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes.

6. Add the greens: stir in 2 cups baby spinach or 3 baby bok choy halved and trimmed, cook until wilted or tender about 1 minute for spinach or 2 minutes for bok choy.

7. Finish the broth: turn off heat and stir in 1 tsp sesame oil (for finishing). Taste and add a little extra light soy sauce if you want it saltier.

8. Serve: divide noodles among bowls if you pre-cooked them, ladle wontons, broth and greens over the top. Drizzle each bowl with 1 tsp toasted sesame oil or chili oil if you like heat, garnish with extra sliced scallions and fresh cilantro if using. Quick tip: if you want a prettier bowl, float a few scallion slices on top last minute so they look bright.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl for the pork and shrimp filling
2. Food processor or mini chopper (optional) to pulse the meat for a smoother texture
3. Measuring spoons and a measuring cup, plus a small teaspoon for portioning filling
4. Small bowl of water or a pastry brush to wet and seal wonton edges
5. Sharp knife and cutting board for garlic, ginger, scallions and bok choy
6. Large pot for simmering the broth, cooking noodles and wontons
7. Slotted spoon or spider and a ladle for moving wontons and serving broth
8. Serving bowls and soup spoons or chopsticks for eating

FAQ

EASY WONTON SOUP ~ Comfort & Peasant Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Ground pork: swap for ground chicken or turkey for a leaner wonton, or use finely crumbled firm tofu mixed with chopped shiitake mushrooms if you want a veggie version (add a little extra soy for umami).
• Shrimp: use chopped cooked chicken or crab meat, or omit altogether and up the pork/tofu; you can also use finely chopped scallops for a nicer sweet seafood flavor.
• Wonton wrappers: use gyoza or dumpling wrappers, or cut egg roll wrappers into 3.5 inch squares if that’s what you got (they’re thicker so cook a tad longer).
• Low sodium chicken broth: replace with vegetable broth for vegetarian soup, mushroom stock for extra depth, or regular chicken broth diluted with water if you only have full salt broth.

Pro Tips

1) Texture matters more than you think. If you like silky wontons pulse the pork and shrimp a couple quick times in the food processor, but if you want more chew chop and mix by hand. Chill the filling for 15 minutes before wrapping if it feels too soft, and add a tiny bit more cornstarch if it seems watery.

2) Wrapping speed and seal are everything. Keep wrappers under a damp towel so they dont dry and crack, use a small teaspoon or melon baller for consistent fills, and press out all the air before sealing so they dont burst. Wet the edges well and dont overfill, you’ll waste time fixing holes later.

3) Cook gentle not furious. Simmer the broth, dont boil hard, and add wontons in batches so they have room to move; theyre done when they float and look plump. If using noodles, either cook them separately and add to bowls first or slide them in briefly so they dont turn into mush.

4) Little finishes make big difference. Stir sesame oil into the broth off heat and add a splash of light soy or a squeeze of rice vinegar to brighten it up, then garnish last minute with scallions or cilantro so they look fresh. Pro tip: freeze any extra uncooked wontons flat on a tray then bag them, you can cook straight from frozen with an extra minute or two of simmering.